METROID: SALVATION
by Mykel Linden
Summary: Set four months after the events of Metroid: Fusion, Samus Aran finds herself wanted by the Federation, alive or dead, for her actions aboard the BSL Space Laboratory. Will Samus be able to clear her name and sail across the stars a free bounty hunter once more? Or will the Hunter become the hunted...?


**INTRODUCTION: FUSION**

 **It's the year 2087, and I am a wanted woman.**

 **But I suppose I should begin this log recording by stating** _ **why**_ **I am wanted.**

 **A few months earlier, I had been involved in a mission on planet SR388 with members of the Galactic Federation when I came under attack from a creature native to the planet. I easily dispatched it, only to watch it dissolve into a formless blob, which floated around for a few seconds, then promptly flew into me. Suspecting nothing was wrong, I reentered my ship and was flying alongside the Federation vessel when suddenly, I was wracked by throes of pain and rapidly lost consciousness. According to the Federation, my ship drifted into an asteroid field and was obliterated, but not before I was rescued by them. By the time they got me to a medical facility, an alarming thing was happening to my Varia Suit; blobs of gelatinous mass were sprouting up all over my Suit. I was becoming infected by the blob that had entered me.**

 **Federation scientists worked tirelessly and rapidly to remove my Varia Suit. Due to my Suit being a part of me, and due to the nature of this mass, entire sections of my Suit had to be surgically removed and altered, leaving me with an appearance akin to something monstrous. I was given zero chance of survival…however, using a special vaccine cultured by the former last of the Metroid creatures, natives of planet SR388 (an infant that I had spared due to its attachment to me, only to be killed later by the despicable Mother Brain on planet Zebes in my last confrontation with her), scientists were able to keep me alive and in good health.**

 **Once again, the baby Metroid saved me, even in death…**

 **However, I would bear the inevitable weakness all Metroids share: a common weakness to ice and cold. To make matters even worse, the research laboratory that the parts of my Varia Suit had been taken to, the BSL Research Laboratory, began issuing a distress call.**

 **For reasons I would soon find out, this evoked a nameless fear in me. The parasite, I had come to learn was known as the X Parasite, a scourge on the Universe and also a native of planet SR388, were kept in check by the Metroid population on the planet...which I had gone in and brutally slaughtered. This apparently allowed the X to breed and repopulate, overcoming the entire planet.**

 **When I arrived on the BSL Laboratory, I found all of the station's scientists dead. I had been given a new ship, with a rather annoying, authority-ridden voice. I'd secretly named this computer 'Adam' after my old military superior during my stint in the Galactic Federation as a soldier. As I explored the station, I continuously kept uplinking to 'Adam' in Navigation Rooms, and as time went by, we learned a shocking and frightening truth.**

 **The X Parasite infecting my armor had taken shape.**

 **There was now an X walking around the BSL Laboratory wearing my Varia Suit and mimicking me…with all of my latent abilities, no less, including (I realized with dawning horror) my Ice Beam upgrade. 'Adam' termed this creature the 'SA-X', or Samus-X, and warned me that, if I came into contact with it, to flee from it and not to engage it in confrontation.**

 **So I began to explore the Laboratory, initially in an attempt to ascertain the status of the situation, but eventually, after discovering an attachment to the Laboratory connecting to Sector 6 (NOC) that contained multiple infant Metroids, I began exploring for different reasons. Upon discovering this Metroid lab, I had to make a hasty escape, as the SA-X was attacking the Metroids and was quickly overwhelmed by them (likely because the Metroids sensed that it was an X Parasite, not a human like me), and the SA-X tripped the self-destruct on that section of the station. No sooner had I left that the section detached, and exploded.**

 **I should've known better than to sigh in relief.**

 **Eventually, 'Adam' informed me that the X Parasites reproduce asexually (they don't require a partner to procreate), and that there were no less than** _ **ten**_ **SA-Xs aboard the station. Suddenly, 'Adam' locked me in the Navigation Room that I was in, saying that the Federation was on their way and that they were going to clean up the mess. The following is a transcription of the conversation I had with 'Adam' recovered from my ship's computer, starting from the moment 'Adam' told me the Federation were on their way (I will use 'SC' to mark the Ship's Computer speaking):**

 **SC: Samus, we're done here. Leave the rest to the Federation... We should be preparing to evacuate the station...**

 **Samus: Are you joking?! Do they know how dangerous the X are? ...How quickly they reproduce?**

 **SC: The Federation has taken an interest in the X and SA-X. They believe this life-form had endless potential applications.**

 **Samus: This is ridiculous! The X are heartless abominations! What potential could they have?**

 **SC: It is not necessary that you understand such matters. The Federation is coming now. You should just leave quietly...**

 **Samus: This is madness! They won't stand a chance here! This station will devour them! What could be worth the risk!?**

 **SC: Capturing the SA-X, of course.**

 **Samus: ...Are you serious? Do they really think they can succeed?**

 **SC: It will certainly be difficult. They don't expect your help. They knew you would try to destroy the SA-X... That's why they stopped sending you support data... The Plasma Beam modification was ready some time ago, but they withheld it to keep you from engaging the SA-X. Yet somehow you restored that function on your own... They also tried to withhold the Diffusion Missile upgrade because they didn't want you to grow too powerful. But they had already sent it, and you tracked it down... Bravo, Samus.**

 **Samus: They must cancel this mission! Open a channel to HQ! I won't let this happen!**

 **SC: They are already on their way.**

 **Samus: Fools...as soon as the Federation ships land, the X will overwhelm them and absorb the knowledge and power of their occupants. The X are just waiting for the hunt to begin, and then they'll spread across the universe. Galactic civilization will end. The X hunger for form, knowledge, and power. They mimic these perfectly. But they cannot copy the soul. They're single-minded, instinctively seeking to increase in number. They're a plague, and the Federation underestimates their threat. The X must not leave here. I must destroy them all before the Federation arrives. This station has a self-destruct mechanism. I must use it to destroy the X here and on the planet. I must send them to oblivion. Them, the station, and myself, if I have to.**

… **I should mention at this point that 'Adam' refused to open the hatch.**

 **Samus: Open the hatch!**

 **SC: I have been ordered to confine you until the ships arrive.**

 **Samus: Don't let them do this. Can't you see what will happen, Adam?**

 **SC: ...Adam?**

 **Samus: ...**

 **SC: ...Who is Adam?**

 **Samus: ...A friend of mine.**

 **SC: And what would this...friend advise you to do now?**

 **Samus: He would know that the only way to end this is to start the self-destruct cycle. He'd know how important it is...**

 **SC: Did this "Adam" care for you? Would he sit in a safe Command Room and order you to die?**

 **Samus: He would understand that some must live and some must die... He knew what it meant. He made that sacrifice once.**

 **SC: So, he chose life for you? Our fair warrior, Samus Aran... Your Adam gave his life so that you might keep yours... For the sake of the universe...**

 **Samus: ...**

 **SC: How foolish.**

 **Samus: How dare you! How could you hope to understand, machine?**

 **SC: You know that detonating this station in high orbit would not guarantee the complete extinction of the X parasites, even though the station would be utterly destroyed... You would only succeed in removing the one obstacle to the galaxy's ruin...yourself. You would ignore this simple fact and choose death. When Adam decided who would live, he chose incorrectly.**

 **Samus: ...!**

 **SC: ...If you were to alter the station's orbit, then you might be able to include the planet in the vaporization field of the self-destruct detonation.**

 **Samus: ...?**

 **SC: You would have to start the propulsion sequence now. Before the Federation arrives. Samus, this is your last mission. Go to the Operations Room and adjust the station's orbit path to intercept SR388.**

 **SC: Then return to your ship and escape. Move quickly, and stay alive. That's an order! Any objections, Lady?**

… **it was in that moment I knew. The fact he called me 'Lady', like he always used to, in an affectionate manner...**

 **Adam Malkovich was alive, and his consciousness had been transferred into my ship's computer.**

 **There'd be no objections at all. At least, not on anybody but the X's part.**

 **In my activating the self-destruct sequence, I was beset upon by one of the SA-X (which I correctly guessed to be the original). Having recovered most of my latent abilities (including my Gravity Suit), I was ready to fight the SA.X. After inflicting massive damage to it with my Plasma Beam, the SA-X, unable to hold its form as me, transformed into a hideous, hulking beast that looked like a deformed cross between me and the native creature of SR388 it'd first infected. After a gruelling battle, I finally destroyed the creature, reducing it to its Core-X (the core of the X Parasites), but before I could destroy the Core, it fled. I fled as well the moment I activated the self-destruct.**

 **I almost wouldn't have gotten out in time if it weren't for the SA-X. Just as I entered the Hangar Bay where my ship should've been waiting, I saw that it wasn't. I was then attacked by an Omega Metroid. Barely had I raised my arm cannon than the Omega swiped me with its razor-sharp claws, rending the very life from me. I looked up as it prepared to make the kill…**

… **but then, an Ice Beam blast came out of nowhere, driving the Omega Metroid back. The SA-X, having reassumed my form stood in front of me, defending me from its natural predator in a rather serendipitous fashion. After a short fight, the SA-X was destroyed by the Omega Metroid, but not before I absorbed it (my Fusion Suit gave me the ability to absorb X to restore my energy), and regained the Ice Beam. Firing rapidly at the creature's chest, I managed to kill the Omega Metroid just seconds before the station entered SR388's atmosphere. My ship returned, and I leaped aboard, only to find that some old friends of mine had indeed made it to my ship too.**

 **Etecoon and Dachora were their species' names, and I'd previously rescued them in my last mission to planet Zebes…it was unusual that they turned up again at BSL, but I suppose that can only be called a coincidence. Turns out they were the ones who had piloted my ship out of the Hangar Bay (likely in response to the Omega Metroid's appearance), but my ship returned, and with the Etecoons and Dachoras, I flew away from the station just as it collided with SR388, obliterating both the station and the planet.**

 **In the four months that have passed since then, I dropped the Etecoons and Dachoras off at a planet called Tallon IV, where an ancient home of the Chozo was, and since the end of the Phazon crisis, has become a bountiful green planet once more.**

 **So much for the good news.**

 **It's the year 2087, and I am a wanted woman.**

 **-END LOG TRANSMISSION-**

 **CHAPTER I: A DAY IN PORT**

'Lady?'

'Lady!'

'Pull yourself together, Lady!'

Samus Aran awoke from her sleep, promptly smacking her head on the upper bunk of a bunk-bed. Rubbing her sore head, Samus swung her legs out over the bed and stood up, stretching. 'Adam, what's going on?' she asked. 'Why did you wake me?' 'Well, I could list a dozen reasons, but I suppose the most acceptable one in this situation is that I'm still very much against the fact you're hiding out in a city like this.' Replied Adam, his voice sounding more weary than annoyed (sometimes it was hard for Samus to tell, given that his voice only came from an earpiece she wore).

Clad only in her Fusion Suit (altered since absorbing the SA-X, now more green like her old Varia Suit, but not quite there), Samus paid for the room she'd rented with credits (using a scan card was like waving a big flag to the Federation yelling 'Hey, look at me! I'm right here!'), and stepped out into the sunlight.

The city of Turachian was bustling with activity only befitting the trade planet of Kagosa. Turachian was a popular city with bounty hunters, mercenaries, and other 'less savory' types due to it not being under control of the Federation. Samus, against Adam's judgment, had landed her ship in a top-secret warehouse she'd purchased long ago as a sort of 'temporary hideout' with funds from her collected bounties and had rented a hotel room, taking a breather.

Shortly after dropping off the Etecoons and Dachoras on Tallon IV, Samus had been detained by the Galactic Federation, who'd tracked her ship, and after learning what happened, had called for her arrest. Slipping away from the Federation vessel G.F.S Icarus with a combination of stealth and her abilities recovered aboard BSL, Samus was now on the run for technically saving the lives of the Federation scientists and soldiers who had planned to board BSL in the search for the SA-X.

Samus, after shaking her pursuers, rewired her ship so that the Federation could no longer track it with her own acute mechanical skills, and after four months of evading Federation patrols and occasionally outrunning Federation Enforcers who'd been sent to arrest her or kill her if she resisted, finally was taking a moment to settle down on Turachian.

However, Samus had another reason for coming to Turachian.

An old friend of hers, who only went by the mysterious name of Cipher, had come into contact with her shortly after her mission aboard BSL (he was one of those kinds of people who could find out anything if he wanted to), and asked Samus what she planned to do now that the entirety of the Federation was against her. After telling him she didn't know, Cipher told Samus to come to Turachian, as he had some knowledge of Chozo ruins on a couple of different planets that could potentially contain some helpful Chozo technology that she might be able to assimilate into her Fusion Suit.

Later that day, Samus, wearing a large cloak over her to cover her armor (which still looked enough like her Varia Suit that people would recognize (it was mostly in the helmet)), arrived on the outskirts of Turachian at an abandoned church. As far as she knew, this church had been abandoned for nearly 60 years, reducing it to a crumbling ruin. Cautiously, with a feeling like her every footstep could bring the remainder of the building crashing down on her, Samus stepped inside.

Small wax candles lit the borders of the church's interior (which was odd, Samus figured, as candles had also not been in use for the longest time) as Samus walked across the crackled marble flooring. Seated at the far end of the room on top of what looked like an altar of sorts was the man of the hour himself: Cipher.

Wearing a mask that looked light grey or very light blue depending on the lighting, carved into the image of a terrifying skull with glowing yellow eyes, Cipher's matted ginger hair fell over the mask, giving him an even more deranged look than his mask alone afforded him. Wearing an old-fashioned suit of crimson, Cipher looked like something out of a Gothic novella that Samus used to read when she was in the military…what was it called…Shake Spears or something like that?

However, this was nothing new to Samus, as Cipher always wore that same mask every time she met with him, which had all started back shortly before her Zero Mission.

Cipher was a jack-of-all-trades, with bounty hunters from all across the galaxy seeking him out for his knowledge. He had contacts in the Federation, other guilds, and even the Space Pirates at one point, and therefore knew just about everything. Samus figured he'd heard about BSL through the grapevine of Federation gossip, and knew that only she would've been involved in such an incident.

Cipher also was a master of an ancient art of form known as 'swordplay'. Swords had not been used in the Federation, or any part of space for that matter, for centuries, and Samus always felt that there was more to Cipher than met the eye, but she had the good sense to maintain a 'don't ask/don't tell' business relationship with him.

'You're very, very late, Aran…' hissed Cipher, staring at her as she approached, drumming a gloved hand on the altar impatiently.

'I wasn't aware I was on a time limit,' responded Samus coolly, removing her cloak and sitting in the only pew that looked sturdy enough to hold her weight (added to by the Fusion Suit). 'You never mentioned a specific hour for us to meet.'

'You know I'm a highly impatient person when I specfically request someone to show up, _especially_ when I have information for them.' Countered Cipher, yellow eyes seeming to almost glow brighter.

At this, Adam spoke up from Samus' earpiece, which echoed enough in Samus' helmet that Cipher could hear. 'Samus…I don't trust this guy. Everything about him screams shady.'

'Oh? And who are you to judge me for being shady, Adam Malkovich?' asked Cipher innocently.

'How do you-?' asked Adam in surprise.

'My contact in the Federation always passes me ANY news of importance, and news of your transferrence of consciousness to a ship's computer belonging to a ship now registered to Samus Aran…now THAT was important news indeed.' Cipher shrugged and spoke as casually as if he'd told Adam offhand that he was Father Christmas.

'None of that is important now, Cipher…what information do you have for me?' asked Samus, standing up from the pew.

Not moving, Cipher said; 'I've heard news that the Federation mounted an expedition to the planets of Nardori VI, Twin Tabula, and Elysia in an attempt to locate Chozo technology.'

Behind her visor, Samus frowned. 'What do the Federation want with Chozo technology?' she asked.

'They know you'll be powerful, and hard to beat even in your current state,' explained Cipher, letting out a sigh. 'So they're looking to outfox you with the very same technology your Suit comes to rely on.'

'So they already know she won't go quietly…' mused Adam.

'Correct…but I brought you here, and gave you both this information…because I want you to acquire the Chozo technology BEFORE the Federation does.' Cipher held out a hand, and in it, Samus saw Cipher was holding a sort of data chip. 'Take it, and upload it into your arm cannon.' Urged Cipher.

'Why? What does it do?' asked Samus warily.

But before Cipher could answer her, the entire church shook, and voices that sounded like they were being played through a radio were heard to shout 'Move, move, move!' and 'Shoot to kill if she does not surrender!', among other things.

'Damn it…the Federation followed you here.' Cipher's expression was blank on his mask, but the sides of his face stretched, making it obvious he was scowling. 'But how? I've made myself all but invisible to them, except for the—'

'Did you tune into a private channel when you were talking to Adam after waking up?'

'-…comms channel.'

How could she have been so careless? This was not like her in the least. Unfortunately, Samus didn't have time to kick herself for her foolish error, as her and Cipher could both hear the Federation surrounding the building.

Before Samus could do anything, however, Cipher yanked the data chip out of her hand and grabbed her arm cannon (which was inseparably attached to her body). 'What are you doing?' asked Samus in surprise, trying to yank her arm cannon away from Cipher, but he inserted the data chip into a tiny slot near where her arm cannon met her elbow.

'Now go, quickly!' Cipher opened a small hatch behind the altar, revealing an underground passageway. 'You don't have much time.'

'What about you?' asked Samus as Cipher was practically shoving her into the hatch. 'I'll be fine; you won't be, however, if you're seen. Now GO!'

And with that, he put his boot on Samus' helmet and practically kicked her into the passageway, slamming the hatch shut above her and locking it.

Alone in the darkness of the passageway, Samus activated the light on her visor, which caused parts of her Suit to light up as well. As far as she could see, this passageway went on endlessly into blackness.

Letting out a sigh, Adam said in a voice of pure and total disapproval: 'And after all these years, you still don't listen to me.'

For once, Samus couldn't help but see Adam's point…given it was the only thing she could see right now…

 **CHAPTER II: RETURN TO SENDER**

A long journey through a dark and seemingly endless tunnel gave Samus both a chance to speak with Adam about the situation, as well as inspect the data chip Cipher had implanted in her arm cannon. Using a remote tracking device built into Samus' ship that was compatible with her Suit, Adam scanned the data chip.

'The scanner's reading the chip as being a piece of unknown technology, and I cross-referenced it against Federation, Chozo, Space Pirate, and Luminoth technologies; no match to any of them.' Reported Adam once the scan was finished.

Samus looked at her arm cannon again; tapping it with her finger as she walked, she also realized she couldn't eject it like a standard data chip. She theorized this was due to a glitch in her Fusion Suit. 'I wish I knew what this chip _did_ …' Samus mused to herself.

Samus was so wrapped up in her own thoughts that, despite her visor lighting the path ahead, and despite Adam saying 'Samus, you're about to wa—', Samus banged clear into a stone wall marking the end of the tunnel. Shaking her head a little bit, Samus looked up, and saw daylight shimmering in the outline of a square. This square belonged to a hatch identical to the one Samus was kicked into by Cipher. Reaching up with her free arm, she pushed the door open, switched off her visor, and climbed out of the tunnel.

Samus emerged into sunlight and she assessed her surroundings. Around her were tall, vertical rock cliffs, with only a pathway to follow ahead of her that, as she could see up ahead, wound up a dirt trail up and out of the canyon she found herself in.

After ascending the dirt trail, having to utilize her signature 'Morph Ball' ability (Samus had the ability to curl up her body and her Suit into a large ball and roll into small crevices) to roll under some tight spaces, Samus found herself at the top of the canyon now, and from what she could see, she was quite a ways outside of Turachian.

'Adam…I need my ship moved to my location.' Said Samus into her earpiece, but when Adam answered, his voice sounded alarmed and frantic. 'I'd love to help you Samus, but I'm afraid you might have to help me and the ship,' explained Adam in a rush. 'The Federation have found your little hideout, and are about to pry open the door to the ship and start an investigation…I have to go into shutdown so they don't find me. Hurry, Samus!'

Before Samus could respond, she heard a small *beep!* as Adam switched off. Silently cursing under her breath, Samus began running back towards Turachian as quickly as she could…

Upon Samus arriving back in Turachian, she was forced to hide at every given opportunity. The markets and streets filled only moments ago with radicalists and free thinkers who opposed the Federation both loudly and silently were now devoid of these beings; filled only by expressionless Federation soldiers and their impeccably-dressed superior officers issuing commands to locate Samus and attempt to catch her alive.

Samus knew she could NOT be seen under any circumstances, otherwise all was lost.

Silently and swiftly, she began sneaking through the city of Turachian, eerily silent save for the occasional barked command, and she began closing in on her warehouse. Just as she was about to enter the warehouse, she had to duck into hiding in a nearby trash receptacle (in Morph Ball form) as several Federation soldiers came striding out of the warehouse. Once she was sure they were out of earshot, Samus started carefully rocking the receptacle back and forth with her Morph Ball until it fell over, expelling the Morph Ball from its confines so Samus could return to her original form.

Opening the warehouse door carefully, Samus quickly slipped inside and hid in the shadows, turning off the lights on her Suit, and waiting.

She didn't have to wait long.

Out of her ship (which looked the same as it did last she saw it) emerged from its top three Elite Federation soldiers, and behind them emerged whom Samus recognized with a small gasp as the Supreme Admiral of the entire Federation; Admiral Alexander Ray Kend.

Alexander Ray Kend was the most decorated of all of the Federation's officers, and also the most feared and respected at the same time. Kend was known for showing absolutely no mercy in his multiple engagements with the Space Pirates throughout the Phazon Crisis, but where he really earned his stripes was in an event known as the Foundation War, where he was just a young Lieutenant then (one of the youngest to ever serve).

Kend and eight of his troops were stranded on the planet of Frigia, so named for its exceedingly inhospitable tundras and ice fields and low-oxygen atmosphere. Kend was awarded the Federal Five-Star, the highest medal of honor awarded in the Federation, for using his acute survival skills and using his charismatic nature to keep his troops…no, his friends, from giving into the cold. He had built a fire and shelter, and had braved the subzero temperatures to hunt indigenous wildlife to bring back to his friends…for seventeen long days, until the Federation finally arrived and airlifted them to the G.F.S Tempest.

Kend was awarded the Five-Star because, the whole reason Kend and his team were on Frigia in the first place was to secure extremely valuable battle schematics for a new type of war cruiser from an ancient Chozo ruin near the planet's equator, and Kend was able to bring back the data fully intact…

As Samus recalled all that she'd read about Admiral Kend, she almost didn't notice the figure emerging behind Kend.

It was Cipher.

However, Samus could tell immediately Cipher was not with the Federation, as his hands were bound behind him. 'We know that you were just recently in contact with Samus Aran,' Kend was saying to Cipher as he, Cipher, and the Elite Soldiers descended to the ground. 'And the fact that you are not cooperating with us is highly concerning, given your current predicament.'

Kend's statement was no shock to Samus, as she knew how 'to-the-point' he could be, but it was Cipher's answer that stunned her silent:

'You assume that I'm in any sort of a predicament, old friend.'

Old friend?

Had Cipher been in the military at one point?

Questions exploded in Samus' head, but she used her mental discipline to silence them. She had to get into her ship and take off…quickly, before she was potentially discovered in her hiding spot. Samus knew that, if she went into her Morph Ball, her Suit's lights would turn back on, alerting Kend and Cipher to her presence. Instead, she'd have to use good old-fashioned stealth…

…which wasn't easy, given that her Suit made somewhat loud *clunk* noises every time she stepped forward.

Formulating a plan, Samus knew she'd have to make a lot of noise in a moment as she came to the conclusion that there was only one way through this.

Raising her arm cannon, Samus made a judgement call. She activated the data chip Cipher had put in her cannon, and fired.

A bolt of what looked like lightning arced out from Samus' arm cannon, and upon striking the first Elite Officer, arced to strike (one by one) the other two Elite Officers, Cipher, and finally, Kend himself. All of them dropped to their knees, utterly paralyzed.

Wasting no time, Samus bolted from her hiding spot towards her ship. Just as she ran past Cipher, she heard him struggle, but manage to say through the paralysis 'That's…just…one of…the many things…that…chip can do…'

Allowing herself one moment, Samus asked Cipher quickly; 'Where did the chip come from?'

As Kend and the Elite Soldiers started to slowly come out of their paralysis, Cipher was quicker on the draw. Emerging from paralysis, he leaned close to Samus, still on his knees, and whispered 'Alimbic' before standing up and drawing what looked like a sword from Samus' old books. 'Go, Aran. I'll buy you time.' He said, his voice back to its original guttural pitch.

Unlike last time, Samus didn't hesitate this time. She leaped up and into her ship, closing the hatch above her (she had to use the top hatch, given that the teleporter on the underbelly of her ship was rendered inactive by the Federation).

Booting her ship up, she noticed with relief that Adam immediately came online. 'Samus!' he said, giving voice to Samus' aforementioned relief. 'I'm so glad you're alright.' 'How did the Federation find this warehouse?' Samus demanded. 'I'll tell you once we're safely away from them. I've remotely accessed the comms network, and I am currently jamming Federation comms, but I can't do it forever, Lady. Is that understood?'

Samus nodded.

'I can give you no more than three minutes.' Said Adam, sounding as if he were in a struggle.

'Initiate takeoff sequence and prime the ship to receive coordinates.' Replied Samus as she booted up the ship's engines.

'Where are we setting course to, Lady?' Adam's voice abruptly changed to one of strained curiosity.

As Samus pushed a button to remotely open the roof of the warehouse for her ship to take off, she answered Adam but quickly.

'We're going to Twin Tabula…and we're going to beat the Federation to the Chozo tech…

…any objections, Adam?'

That was the first time Samus had ever heard a computer laugh, despite its obvious struggle to keep the comms channels down. With a roar of life and a flair of its engines, Samus' ship rocketed up and out into space, coordinates set for the planet of Twin Tabula…

 **CHAPTER III: SAMUS, THE HUNTED HUNTER**

' _Warning: aft energy shields failing. Recommend evasive maneuvers.'_

' _Warning: Starboard energy shields failing. Recomm—'_

'Adam!' yelled Samus over the blaring of the alarm in her ship. 'Can you turn this blasted automated voice off?' 'What, do you want me to sweet-talk it?' responded Adam, sounding exasperated. 'No, Lady; I can't turn the annoyingly non-sentient voice off…but considering that we could cease to exist at any moment, that should be the least of your worries!' 'Don't bark at me like I'm still bottom rung on your ladder, Adam!' Samus yanked her steering control hard left, causing the ship to swerve into a barrel roll.

Moments after Samus had entered the atmosphere of Kagosa, the Federation ship in orbit, the G.F.S Hyperion, an Olympus-class ship that served as the Right Hand of the Federation's flagship, the S.G.F.S Gungnir, began to give chase to Samus' ship as it began its course for Twin Tabula.

In this process, Samus also assumed that Cipher and Admiral Kend had been beamed aboard before the Hyperion gave chase.

Unfortunately, that worry would be wiped from her mind as the Hyperion not only began to dispatch a small fleet of smaller Stiletto-class ships to pursue, but also began to fire on Samus with its weaponry as well. Obviously, Samus' small ship, despite being a unique vessel given to her by the Federation of Chozo origin, was not built to withstand such a withering barrage of lasers and energy missiles.

At this point, Samus was about halfway to Twin Tabula, having entered the FS-176 star system, formerly home to planet Zebes, and home to planet Tallon IV. Twin Tabula was not far from Tallon IV, but Samus was being forced to take an alternate route…through the FS-176 Asteroid Belt near the planet of Bilium.

In an effort to shake her pursuers, Samus was hoping that the asteroids would serve to slow up (or destroy, as much as it pained her to think such) the Stiletto fighters. Weaving in and out, left and right, up and down, Samus expertly piloted her ship through the asteroid belt, and her plan was working…to a point.

Trouble was, the pilots piloting the Stiletto fighters were among the best in the Federation, and even though they all knew Samus well, they had orders to follow, and nobody… _nobody_ …disobeyed orders.

'Lady, we're going to get pulverized if we stay out here much longer!' Complained Adam.

'Keep your shirt…er, whatever you, uh…are wearing…on, Adam!' Shouted Samus over the increasingly annoying computer voice. Finally, the voice got so annoying, Samus took her fist and punched it right through the speaker the voice was coming from, effectively destroying the module.

'I'm a voice, Lady,' Adam reminded Samus. 'If I'm wearing anything at all, it's my patience…and it's thin. We should exit the asteroid field immediately.'

'Adam, I'm really sorry for what I'm about to do, but I'm going in closer to one of the big ones.' Said Samus suddenly, pressing a couple of buttons.

The wings on Samus' ship folded slightly as her speed increased, and she flew under and over a couple of more asteroids, heading for the largest one she could see.

'Lady, there are times I estimated you truly mad, but this one leaves the rest behind.' Moaned Adam, sounding like someone who has their face behind their raised hands, not able to bear to look.

Behind her, a Stiletto fighter exploded in a shower of metal and sparks as it collided head-on with an asteroid.

Inside their respective cockpits, the pilots of the remaining Stiletto fighters were now seething with anger, for the death of their comrade had just made this chase personal.

As Samus drew closer to the largest asteroid, a new alarm began to blare. 'Lady, you're getting too close to FS-176's star; the heat measures of this ship won't be able to withstand it.' Reported Adam, obviously watching the ship's hull temperature. 'Adam, you've just given me an idea.' Replied Samus, and suddenly, the ship swerved left, heading directly for the FS-176 star.

In the process of Samus activating a ray visor that slid over the front window of her cockpit to protect her from the star's insane glare, the new alarm began blaring faster. 'Samus, what are you doing?' Adam sounded panicked now. 'The temperatures near the surface of that star are in excess of 10,000 degrees Fahrenheit!' 'Exactly.' Was all Samus responded with, sounding very grim.

 _If my plan works_ , thought Samus. _These pilots…well, if they don't turn back, they're going to suffer a very painful death. I don't want to do this, but I have no choice._

Samus' ship flew closer to the FS-176 star, and Samus watched out her window as asteroids began burning up as they got too close to the star. Now that she was coming out of the asteroid field, Samus was literally going from the frying pan right into the fire…

Meanwhile, aboard the G.F.S Hyperion, Admiral Kend (as Samus had predicted) had been beamed back aboard the ship and was now standing on the command bridge of the vessel, which was skirting the outer edges of the asteroid belt, trying to keep up with Samus Aran. An officer walked up and handed a data pad to Kend containing a tactical assessment of Samus' outrageous plan. Scowling at the data pad, Kend walked down from his perch above the rest of the bridge, and handed it to his tactical officer, saying, 'This just in, Bailey. Chart a course for these coordinates.'.  
Moments later, the G.F.S Hyperion altered its course and plunged straight into the asteroid field, with even the larger asteroids bouncing harmlessly off of the Olympus-class ship's shield…

' _Adam's almost as annoying as that accursed alarm voice_ …' realized Samus as she got even closer to the FS-176 star. The whole time, Adam had been having what could be chocked up to a computer's version of a verbal epileptic seizure. 'Lady, are you absolutely insane?' Adam practically shrieked as his latest freakout/meltdown. 'Has the Metroid vaccine affected your train of thought so much as to—'  
It was at this point that Samus held up her fist, sending a clear message to Adam (who could see Samus thanks to a photoreceptive 'eye' in the cockpit), who got it immediately. Either he would shut up and let Samus pilot, or he'd wind up like the now-defunct alarm voice.  
Samus' ship was now at its absolute maximum heat tolerance, and Samus could see the window of her ship, through which the FS-176 star shined dimly thanks to the ray shielding, was starting to warp and distort from the extreme heat. Inside her Suit, even with her cooling aeration activated, Samus was sweating badly…but she knew her plan would work.

It HAD to work.

Just as Samus' ship was about to explode into a fireball, Samus pitched the nose of her ship in a sharp upward turn, essentially pulling her ship into a half-loop. Leveling out, Samus saw her pursuers fly underneath her, and in her peripheral vision, the flash of the ships as they incinerated.  
While not her style normally, Samus said a silent prayer for the soldiers who had perished, as her ship returned to the asteroid field and began skirting the opposite edge of it that the Hyperion was…

Just as Samus was leaving the asteroid field behind, the planet of Twin Tabula entering the range of her ship's sensors, on her right, Samus saw, with a muted sigh of frustration, the G.F.S Hyperion, also emerging from the belt. Her ship's sensors, once they were used to scan Hyperion, told her that it had its weapons powered to full, and all laser gun emplacements were trained solely on her ship with lethal accuracy.  
Just then, the communicator of her ship, which allowed for ship-to-ship communication, started to beep. 'You have an incoming comms request from Admiral Kend himself…' Adam took the opportunity to speak up, lacing his use of the name 'Kend' with a great deal of disgust.  
Pushing the button, Samus waited as a hologram of Admiral Kend appeared over her communicator, displaying him from the waist up (the rest of his body was not within the holographic projector's scanning range).

'Samus Aran…' spoke Kend, his voice sounding weary, with more than a touch of annoyance. 'You know full well why we are in pursuit of you…why do you flee from justice?'  
This jibe made Samus snort in a very unladylike fashion, which made her sound like a cross between a pig and Darth Vader, thanks to her Suit's breathing filter built into her helmet.  
'Justice? Hardly,' she sneered. 'Kend…you follow the Federation so blindly you didn't even open your Q&A session with 'WERE you actually saving us when you blew up BSL and killed the SA-X, along with an Omega Metroid that had gotten loose in the ensuing chaos, thereby eradicating the single biggest threat to civilized life in the galaxy?'  
Kend seemed to ponder this for a moment, but then shook his head. 'Samus, you have to understand my position here, and why I am caught in the middle.' He explained, holding up a hand. 'On one side, I have you telling me that you're actually our savior, and that you saved the entire galaxy once again by eradicating the X.'  
Lowering his first hand and raising the other, Kend sighed and said, 'And on the other side, I have my superiors and almost the entirety of the Federation saying that you interfered with a vital Federation mission, robbing us of the chance to study the X parasites even more closely, using the SA-X as the template…possibly even to weaponize their abilities.'

At this, Samus couldn't contain herself any longer. 'Are you that moronic, Kend?' she asked, abandoning all formalities. 'The X were KILLERS. Nothing the Federation could've built would've contained them, because they absorb and take over the bodies of their hosts, completely eliminating the original host in the process, but in my exploration of BSL, I saw examples of X who had infected INORGANIC materials.'  
Letting the following silence grow into a ringing, Samus calmed herself, than continued.  
'What do you think would happen, Kend, if the X began to infect Federation machinery? If they went and infected, say, the entire Hyperion and its crew? Not only would they have control of one of the Federation flagships, but the X would also be able to fly the Hyperion right to Earth and begin a mass assimilation of the entire human race!'

Samus could see, judging from the look on Kend's face, that she had Kend thinking…but her hopes fell flat when the hard, military look returned to Kend's features. However, her hopes rose again, if just a little bit, when Kend spoke his next words, for they almost seemed…reluctant. 'Samus Aran…by order of the Galactic Federation, under pretense of the utter breaking of Chapter 18 of Federation law, I hereby order you to surrender your ship and submit yourself to a willful arrest…otherwise…we will be forced to fire upon and destroy you and your vessel.'  
Before Kend had even finished speaking, Samus already knew what her answer would be.  
Powering up her shields to maximum, and putting her engines into 'Overdrive Mode' (which could potentially burn them out), Samus looked at Kend and said 'If you want me…come and claim me, Kend.'  
Switching off the communicator, Samus re-plotted her course for Twin Tabula, and set off at full speed.

Seeing Samus take off and out of Hyperion's weapons range before they could fire, Admiral Kend, with a quiet snarl, looked to his navigation officer and shouted, 'Lay in a pursuit course! Samus Aran must not get away, for she is a criminal of the Federation…and she will die by our hand!'

Thoughts of a promotion to Grand Admiral floated through Kend's mind…

 **CHAPTER IV: MO' METROIDS, MO' PROBLEMS**  
Finally, Samus had reached her destination.

Dust storms whipping around her ship as it landed, Samus' ship's sensors had discovered an unused landing bay that would hide her ship for a time, until the Federation decided to come down to the planet after her.

Her ship landed with a *clunk*, landing legs outstretched.

'Lady,' Adam spoke up as Samus rose from her seat to exit through the top hatch. 'Unless you've forgotten, the Federation had this planet quarantined nine years ago due to a terrible virus called 'Twin Fever' that caused double sight, then death.'  
Pressing a couple of buttons on the side of her arm cannon, Samus replied with, 'I know, Adam. I've adjusted my Suit's atmospheric filters to filter out any toxins in the air.'

'Well, just be careful…and stay alive, Lady.' Adam's voice sounded almost…sentimental.  
'Are you…okay, Adam?' asked Samus, quite concerned.  
'Yes…I'm alright, Samus. Just go, uh…do your, um…mission…thing.' Stuttered Adam, sounding extremely distracted by something.

Giving the console Adam spoke to her from a weird look, Samus went and stood on the elevator, and she pressed another button on her arm cannon, and her and the elevator rose slowly up to expose her to this unknown, foreign world…

As soon as Samus emerged into the air of Twin Tabula (which her Suit confirmed was breathable, but containing toxic levels of the Twin Fever virus), she looked all around her.  
Everywhere she looked, everything was dead or decayed, and the same dust storms her ship was buffeted by upon her landing swirled all around her.

The building she'd landed in was seemingly carved out of a reddish sandstone-like material, with Chozo carvings all over it. Through the empty windows is how she could see the sorry state the planet was in. 'Is this all because of the Twin Fever?' wondered Samus aloud. 'Records show it is, and this is why the entire population of humans and plant life perished,' explained Adam, causing Samus to jump (she still wasn't fully used to having Adam right there, and sometimes forgot when her mind wandered). 'However, records also show that this virus was introduced to the planet; in other words, it's not native to here.'

As Samus walked through a long hallway connecting to the landing bay, she realized that the doors could be opened with her regular Beam, much like many of the doorways she'd encountered in the Chozo Ruins of Tallon IV. Well, it made sense, thought Samus, given how close Tallon IV and Twin Tabula are.

After passing through a pair of long halls, Samus entered a large room with what looked like a large energy generator in the middle, with a thin, magnetic rail running around it in an upward, spiralling fashion. Samus recognized this as a Spider Ball track from her days exploring Tallon IV and a far-off planet called Aether…however, when she absorbed the SA-X's Core-X, she did not recover her Spider Ball, Grapple Beam, or Multi-Missile abilities, meaning she'd have to try to see if she could find alternative points to re-download the data schematics for them once more.

Seeing a door up on a platform above her leading westward, Samus realized she couldn't reach the door without the Spider Ball ability, due to the fact that the magnetic rail track ran up to that platform. Instead, Samus would have to head eastward through a door at ground level she saw now before her.  
Upon proceeding through a couple of more rooms and a couple of hallways (which were eerily quiet), Samus came to what seemed like a dead-end…but the small hole at the base of the opposite wall of this circular room told her otherwise. Entering Morph Ball form, she rolled through the tunnel, and upon making a turn to the left at a T-junction in the tunnel, Samus found herself in what she referred to as a 'Save Room'. She named these rooms Save Rooms thanks to the standardized Molecular Reconstructor in the room. When she stood in it and activated it, the machine would 'remember' her cellular structure, and if her life signs were to go to null, Samus' molecules would disintegrate on the spot and reassemble themselves at this Molecular Reconstructor.

Upon using the Save Station (which was Samus' short name for the Reconstructor), she re-entered the tunnel and this time, went the way she didn't go at the T-junction. Upon emerging from the tunnel, she found herself in one more hallway, but this one opened up to a big pit-style arena. Bringing up the map she had had stored in the Federation's historical databanks, this room was called the 'Sacrificial Pit', so named because those dying from Twin Fever were tossed in this pit to be devoured by a huge monster imported from a faraway planet.  
'Lady, scans show one very large lifesign in that arena…' Adam's voice came over the comms, sounding very nervous. 'Clearly whatever monster they imported is immune to Twin Fever…' 'I'll be fine, Adam…but I need to go down there, as I have no other way but forward.' Replied Samus, getting her arm cannon ready by equipping Missiles to it.

No sooner had Samus landed in the arena than a large gate at the opposite end opened up, and a monster began to plod its way out of it. Samus immediately recognized it from her adventures past; with its angular head, and its massive, armored body, the last thing Samus needed to fight was her second Omega Metroid in four months.

Just like the one she'd encountered on BSL, this creature went to swipe at her with its claws, but Samus was ready this time. Rolling out of the way of the claws, Samus began to fire Missiles at the plating covering the creature's torso, all the while wondering how in the world there were ANY Metroids left in the galaxy.

Suddenly, the creature swung its tail, catching Samus unprepared. Sent flying backwards, the wind knocked out of her, by the sheer force of the impact, Samus smashed into the side of one of the walls, her Suit beeping at her, registering near-fatal damage to several parts of her Suit, as well as her own body. 'L-L-Lady…!' Adam's voice crackled over her earpiece, having been damaged by the creature's attack. 'S-S….S…Sup…Super Mis—'

The earpiece promptly went dead, but Samus had heard enough to know what to do.

Holding up her arm cannon from her laying position, and as the Omega Metroid advanced on her, Samus pressed another button on her arm cannon, equipping her 5 Super Missiles. She knew these were precious, and an absolute disaster to waste.

Aiming carefully, Samus fired a Super Missile, and it scored a direct hit on the creature's weakened plating, which shattered, exposing the soft, fleshy membrane all Metroids were known for having, save for the Queen Metroid.  
The Omega Metroid stumbled backwards, roaring in pain. Samus took the chance to stand up, her right leg shaking very unsteadily, pain shooting through her body, but she was determined. Now knowing that there were still Metroids alive in remote locations in the universe, Samus was thoroughly determined to kill this creature.

Aiming her Super Missiles again, she fired, but this time, she missed because her arm was shaking from the pain, and the Omega Metroid was stumbling around, trying to regain its composure. Thinking quickly, Samus resorted to physical violence. Charging forward, ignoring the surge of excruciating pain in her entire body, she smashed into the Omega Metroid with all of her might, and thanks to the superior strength of her Suit, knocked the creature over.  
Jumping on top of the creature, panting and gasping from the pain, Samus aimed her Super Missiles again right at the Omega Metroid's soft spot, and fired all three of her remaining Super Missiles right at it.

With an unearthly shriek, the creature slowly disintegrated into dust, which blew away in the winds whipping the outdoor pit.  
Stopping to lean against a wall, breathing heavily, Samus took a moment to assess the damage from defeating the Omega Metroid.

Her Suit was actually cracked in places from the single tail swing (which she could put through the Save Station, as they also fixed up her Suit), and her Energy was reading at only 18 units out of 99 (Samus had had all of her Energy Tanks that further improved her Suit's resistances seized when she was held aboard the G.F.S Icarus for her short confinement period).  
Samus also wondered how on Earth she hadn't eradicated every Metroid, but it was starting to dawn on her that she (and the Federation) were fools for ever thinking that one planet contained every last Metroid ever created. It was theoretically possible that Metroids were still everywhere in small pockets.

With no Adam to contact, Samus saw a small alcove had opened inside where the Omega Metroid had waited patiently, somehow surviving with no energy sources to feed off of, and within the alcove…was the Spider Ball enhancement for her Suit.  
'I get too lucky when it comes to these things…' muttered Samus out loud as she went and added the Spider Ball to her arsenal once more.

Walking back out into the pit, Samus saw a magnetic rail that would carry her back up to the ledge she had entered from. Rolling into Morph Ball form, she attached herself magnetically to the rail and rode it up to the ledge, pausing at a small alcove to acquire a Missile Expansion Unit for her Suit (adding 5 Missiles to her total count; these were scattered all over the place).

Passing backwards through the small door, and through the tunnel (activating the Reconstructor again along the way), Samus re-entered the circular room, and what she saw left her speechless, with Adam yelling at her in alarm from a now-working earpiece…

 **CHAPTER V: THE VOID MALADY & THE METROID SANCTUARY**

Metroids.

Metroids everywhere.

Normal, spherical Metroids with three claws underneath their large nucleus-looking head, and Alpha Metroids, which looked more armored than their brethren. All were floating innocently enough around, but upon one of them seeing Samus, they all began shrieking, and instantly began flying towards her in pursuit.

Without having a moment to stop and wonder how in the world there could be so many Metroids in one place, Samus could only run, only turning to fire an Ice Beam shot at Metroids occasionally, freezing them in their tracks for only a couple of seconds, before they'd break out with a screech.

Back through the hallways she'd previously traversed, Samus ran. The only thing she could think of besides finding somewhere safe to hide and catch her breath was that her battle with the Omega Metroid must've awoken all of the other Metroids in the area.

Finally arriving back in the main room with the large Spider Ball track, Samus looked behind her, and the closed door told her the Metroids were no longer pursuing. Finally opting to turn her earpiece back on (she'd turned it off to concentrate on getting away from the Metroids), Samus cringed as Adam's voice blasted in very suddenly and sharply with, 'What the hell happened in there, Lady? And why did you go dark on me TWICE now?'

Slumping down to the floor in a sitting position, leaning up against the Spider Ball track (then shifting away from it because the magnetism of the track made her hair inside her helmet frizz out), Samus said, panting; 'Adam…there's Metroids all over this planet…I just got attacked by an Omega here a few minutes ago…'

Silence on the other end…then, Adam asked in a very curious tone, 'Metroids? Are you sure?'

Scoffing in exasperation, Samus said, a bit louder now, 'Yes, I'm sure! Clear as daylight, there's dozens, maybe hundreds of them here. What in the world are so many doing on a planet that was quarantined by the Fe—'

Then it hit her.

'Adam…was the Federation doing any illegal experiments on Metroids here too, like they were on BSL and the Bottle Ship, by chance?' Samus attempted to sound as innocently curious as possible, but of course, little went over the head of Adam Malkovich.

'Yes, Samus…' Adam sighed. 'And Twin Tabula isn't the only place it's being done. The Federation sent you to eradicate the Metroids on SR388 because they'd gotten out of hand and were starting to kill Federation soldiers and scientists who were stationed there. Due to the Federation having to leave, with the outbreak of the Twin Fever, the Metroids (whom are interestingly immune to it) began repopulating at a rapid pace, and are now seemingly in a status of an outbreak.'

'Tell me where else it's being done, Adam…we have to destroy the Metroids before they find a way to leave the planets they're on.' Pleaded Samus. After giving a quiet 'hmph', Adam replied, 'Twin Tabula, Nardori VI, the former homeworld of the Space Pirates, and a very dark and twisted planet called Synvestar…that's where the Federation have Metroid encampments.'

At the mention of the Space Pirates, another thought occurred to Samus. At the end of the day, the Federation really was no better than the Space Pirates; both were planning to use Metroids for military gain, and both were willing to do whatever it took, even endangering the galaxy unknowingly, to achieve these ends…

Finally standing back up, Samus said, 'Adam, I need to find a way to exterminate all of the Metroids on this planet.'

After thinking for a moment, Adam said, now sounding more excited, 'I've got it! I remember reading in a report that the Metroids on Twin Tabula were all parasitically linked to a dimensional entity called the Void Malady, which was actually housed very close to your location according to the last report. Destroy the Void Malady, and it should actually kill every Metroid on this planet that's connected to it, which naturally, should mean all of them.'

Samus needed only a moment to think this through. 'Will you upload the loca—' she began, but Adam cut her off with a short chuckle. 'I already have, Lady. It's in a large section of this ruined temple to your northwest.'

'Thanks, Adam.' Said Samus, smiling slightly as she prepared to go into Spider Ball to roll up the track to the previously inaccessible door on the platform above her..

And so, Samus fought her way westward through the temple, using a combination of her Ice Beam and her Missiles to pick off Metroids (now that she was prepared for them), and after a couple of hours of exploring, had arrived at a very grandiose door framed by ancient Chozo carvings. In the process, Samus had acquired a Super Missile Expansion unit, as well as a coveted Energy Tank for her Suit to be upgraded with. In her travels, she'd also come across a piece of Chozo lore that she could scan (not too far from the door she was now at, actually) that, when translated by her Suit's translation implant, she was stunned at what it said.

 _The Void Malady (which we started out calling the Void Savior) was one of our greatest creations…but also, one of our greatest failures. Sentient, and immensely powerful, the Void Malady was designed to travel to various planets and absorb all negative toxins and pollutants from the air (of which it could make the distinction between such valuable gases as oxygen). It was set to be the savior of all of the polluted planets in the galaxy; the Chozo's attempt to cleanse the toxins from all planets. It was supposed that the Void Malady would even absorb Phazon radiation with no harm done…but the Void Malady, not wishing to be 'used' to absorb everything negative in the universe, turned on its creators, and using a dimensional 'trick', unleashed the Twin Fever, a deadly biological agent that gives the infected 'double vision', and when the double vision fades, it brings about their death. We tried to contain the Twin Fever with our own technology, but we were overwhelmed. Already, I can feel my double sight fading, for I was forced to use my own mental willpower to inscribe this for any that make it down to our doomed planet._

 _We did not have any with us…but extremely high-yield concussive blasts into the creature's core eye should damage it._

 _I just hope other Chozo don't make the…same…mistake…_

Samus had finished reading, and she saved the scripture to her Suit's internal memory. 'High-yield concussive blasts…' Adam had mused aloud. 'That could very well mean your Super Missiles or even your regular Missiles.' 'Or my Power Bombs, although 'into the creature's core eye' would make Missiles more sensible.' Samus had responded…

So now, here she stood, at this ornate doorway. Blasting it open with a Missile, she entered a MASSIVE chamber that almost seemed like an arena.

No sooner had she walked a few paces into the room than a massive cloud started forming at the opposite end of the room. Slowly, tentacles of pure energy, each with an eyeball on the end, emerged from the center of the cloud. The cloud itself began to twist and spin almost like Samus was looking at a tornado from above. Within the middle of the cloud, a large eyeball appeared, blinking menacingly.

This was the Void Malady, and it was angered that someone had dared to trespass into its home, which prompted it to attack Samus immediately.

 **CHAPTER VI: BOSS BATTLE: VOID MALADY & THE RETURN OF ADAM MALKOVICH**

The Void Malady immediately began to unleash a barrage of orbs which almost looked like highly concentrated versions of the Twin Fever virus, Samus rolled out of the way, desperate to avoid them, but one of them managed to hit her. Hearing an ear-piercing crackling in her earpiece that made her cringe severely, Adam's voice barely registered, ' _…virus…Suit...penetrate…_ '

The Void Malady floated around the room, keeping Samus on the move as she kept being forced to duck and roll, unable to find an opening, but what she did know is that, from how she was suddenly feeling nauseous, and Adam's words, the orbs were indeed the virus…and that the virus was so concentrated in these orbs they overrode her environmental anomaly defense measures on her Suit.

Finally, after what seemed like forever, the Void Malady stopped firing virus orbs, and suddenly, began to inhale, trying to draw Samus into its dark, endless void.

Thinking quickly as Samus' kneeling form was drawn, the metal of her Suit screeching against the floor, towards the phenomenon, Samus noticed the entire arena was one gigantic Spider Ball playground, as the entire floor was magnetic.

Entering her Morph Ball form, Samus activated her Spider Mall mode and clung on for dear life.

Somehow, it worked, as the creature gave up trying to inhale Samus, and just as Samus emerged from Spider Ball mode again, began shooting virus orbs at her.

This time, Samus had come up with a plan, just as Adam came back into her frequency, having been distorted by the virus orbs. 'When it inhales, go into Spider Ball and use Morph Ball Bombs!' spoke Adam from the earpiece.

That was already what Samus had had planned, and so, when the creature ceased its near-merciless volley, it began to inhale again, and Samus did exactly what Adam had told her that she already knew.

The Morph Ball Bombs exploded inside the void, and the phenomenon started to violently twist and distort, but then, it returned to normal.

'I know I've hurt it; I can tell.' Stated Samus out loud as the phenomenon began to attack with virus orbs again, but this time in groups of three per shot. Samus had to do double-time now to dodge them…

…meanwhile, after about a dozen Morph Ball Bombs had been swallowed up by the Void Malady, the phenomenon began distorting so violently that it eventually just faded away.

'Well, that was anticlimactic and a rather hirsute situtation, Lady.' Declared Adam, sounding highly relieved, actually going so far as to let out an electronic sigh of such. 'Well, we can't let our guards down, Adam,' replied Samus, keeping her arm cannon aloft. 'The Federation knows we landed here, and I'm sure they'll be here looking for us soon.' 'This is true,' concurred Adam. 'By the way, Lady…you thankfully did not take in enough of the Twin Fever virus for it to be fatal…you may just be rather sick later.'

'I feel sick now.' Groaned Samus, putting her free hand on the stomach of her Suit.

Proceeding to the next door and shooting it open, Samus and Adam came upon a miracle of a sight…one that had Samus blinking several times and rubbing her visor to make sure she wasn't experiencing the fatal double vision the Twin Fever provides.

At the opposite end of the room were two altar-style platforms edged by miniature statues of Chozo worshipping that which was on the altar.

It was another Varia Suit, but this one looked even more advanced than the ones Samus had seen and worn previously. The shoulder pads had small ridges coming out of them, yellow and red circuit lines ran up and down along the armor, which was sleek and shiny, not looking a day old.

Adam let out an electronic whistle that caused Samus to grimace due to the earpiece making it shriller than it was. 'That…is an impressive Varia Suit…too bad you can't wear it due to the fact you're attached to this one.' Adam sighed outwardly, while Samus sighed inwardly. 'Adam…' she responded. 'I actually can wear that Suit; I just stand on the opposite altar and my body will be transferred to the new Suit and it will finally detach from this one.'

As Samus went to go stand on the opposite altar, Adam was puzzled. 'How can it—oh, confound it all.' He muttered.

As soon as Samus turned and faced the same direction as the Varia Suit was facing, both Suits became encapsulated in a bright, shining light, and Samus closed her eyes as she felt her body being transferred between Suits. Ignoring the excruciating pain of the Suit physically detaching from her body, she focused instead on the new Suit.

After a few minutes, the light disappeared, and Samus found herself standing in a new Varia Suit. First thing she noticed was that the inside of the Suit smelled brand-new. The second thing she noticed was that her earpiece was missing.

Of course! How could she have been such a fool? The earpiece wasn't part of her, so it wouldn't have moved to the new Suit. Turning to look at her old Suit, she gasped when it turned to look back at her. Thankfully, she was immediately calmed when Adam's voice spoke as loudly and clearly from her old Suit as her own voice did, and said; 'It would seem, Lady, that the earpiece fused with the inside of the old Suit's helmet…but more important is that I can actually control the Suit in your absence as if it were my own body!'

It was then that an insane idea popped into Samus' head.

'Adam…' said Samus slowly. 'If you can control that Suit completely, weapons systems and all, then couldn't you…stay that way?'

After a few moments, the old Suit put its hand to the 'chin' of its helmet as if thinking, then Adam's voice spoke from within; 'Yes…that could work, Lady. Two cannons ARE better than one in this event.'

Taking a couple of unsteady steps off of the altar, Adam looked at Samus and held out his hand to help her down too, but Samus scoffed and jumped off of the altar, landing cleanly next to him. 'Shall we be returning to the ship and leaving this wretched planet anyways?' asked Adam. With a smirk under her helmet, Samus turned to Adam and said, 'There's nothing I'd love to do more…'

With that, both Adam and Samus cocked their arm cannons and began the journey back to Samus' ship…

 **CHAPTER VII: FACE-TO-FACE WITH ALEXANDER KEND**

It took Samus and Adam a while to return to Samus' ship, and along the way, Samus and Adam saw Metroid corpses everywhere. 'It looks like my plan worked, Lady…' stated Adam, looking around. Samus didn't answer him, as she was too busy still trying to absorb the reality that Adam was walking and talking next to her (despite no physical presence within the Suit itself).

By the time the duo got back to Samus' ship, they both got teleported into the cockpit from underneath the ship, and much to Samus' dismay, when she re-materialized, she saw Adam's Suit squished in a heap behind her up against the wall. 'Adam, are you alright?' asked Samus, prodding the Suit with her finger, then jumping when Adam responded in a muffled voice; 'Just…spiffing, Lady.'

As Samus turned back to work the controls, suddenly, her whole ship pitched violently to the right and actually began to leave the ground of its own accord. Frantically looking at her ship's sensors, Samus groaned and said; 'Tractor beam, Adam…it's the _Hyperion_.'

Barely able to get up from his cramped sitting position, Adam leaned over Samus' shoulder. 'Well, this isn't good…' he muttered. 'No, it isn't. The _Hyperion_ is drawing us in, and I think we-' Samus began, but Adam cut her off. 'No, it's not so much that, Lady…' he sighed. 'Apparently being in this Suit renders me unable to be in the ship at the same time…'

As Samus' ship drew closer to the _Hyperion_ 's docking bay, Samus looked at Adam. 'We need to come up with a plan, Adam…' she said quietly, sounding quite afraid. After a moment of thinking, Adam spoke quickly; 'They're expecting Samus Aran to be wearing her modified Fusion Suit, am I correct?'

Samus realized immediately what Adam was proposing. 'No…' she said defiantly. 'I will not let you be a distraction for me while I work my way through the _Hyperion_.'

Putting a hand on Samus' shoulder pad with difficulty, Adam made the motion of looking squarely into Samus' eyes. 'I didn't authorize you to give me a hard time, Lady. There will be no objections on this matter.'

Turning to the controls, Adam activated the ship's site-to-site teleporter, and setting the coordinates, he targeted Samus. Trying to shout a protest, Samus was cut off as her body froze, the transportation process beginning.

Just before she disappeared, she heard Adam say; 'You're going to a storage room on Level 3…come find me in the holding cells on Level 1…good luck, Lady…to both of us…'

And then, nothing but a blinding whiteness.

As Samus' ship was drawn into the _Hyperion_ 's hangar, Adam found himself hoping he did the right thing, leaving everything to Samus, as it wasn't something he fancied doing very often…not during the Bottle Ship…not during the BSL Laboratory…not ever.

After what felt like an eternity, the emergency hatch finally opened from above, and a Galactic Federation soldier poked his head in, gun aiming squarely at Adam. 'I'm sorry, Samus Aran, but you have to come with us now.' said the soldier. Adam, knowing he couldn't speak without giving away that he wasn't Samus, raised his hand and arm cannon in cooperation, and with some difficulty, managed to follow the trooper up and out of the hatch.

Standing next to Samus' ship were about 2 dozen soldiers, guns all trained on Adam, and at their head, Admiral Kend himself.

Moments passed, and Adam quickly found himself face-to-face with Admiral Kend, hands now bound by electronic handcuffs. It was Kend who spoke first, saying; 'You've led us on quite the wild goose chase, Samus…you also caused us to lose a couple of our most skilled pilots…have you anything to say for yourself?'

Adam could only shake his head no.

'I am not without mercy, however, Samus,' stated Kend as he and Adam began walking out of the docking bay and down a series of corridors, escorted by a phalanx of guards. 'Instead of doing what I have been ordered to do and to have you put to death, I am going to give you a chance to explain your side of the story to the Federation High Council.'

Adam almost spoke out loud at this, but forced himself to remain silent, remembering that Kend believing him to be Samus is what this all hinged on.

'The Council is unanimous on its vote to have you executed before the State, but one thing they fail to realize is that there are, in fact, two sides to every story…' Here, Kend stopped for a moment, seeming contemplative, then, almost to himself, he added; 'And this was something I too failed to realize until recently…'

With that, Adam and Kend continued their walk in silence until they reached the holding cells. 'I suppose I should give you a friend to talk to, so I'm placing you in Cell 3B, as Cell 3A is currently occupied by a traitor of whom I will have great pleasure in killing personally when we return to Earth.'

Shoving Adam roughly into a small chamber with walls made of force fields (which would be lethal to the touch for humans, but even the Suit Adam was in would cease to function if he should touch the force fields), and by pressing a button on a nearby panel, another force field appeared, covering the door to the holding cell. 'Do enjoy your stay with us, Samus…for even though I am giving you a chance to explain yourself, I'm sure the Council will hear nothing of it.'

Chuckling to himself, Kend walked out of the room, along with his guards.

Sighing to himself, Adam sat down, slumped against the only wall that wasn't a force field (the wall right across from the doorway), and that's when he heard a familiar, rasping hiss of a voice.

'So I see you've decided to benefit from the hospitality of the holier-than-thou nitwit, Kend, eh Aran?'

Turning to look into the cell on his left, Adam saw a figure emerge from the shadows.

It was Cipher, his mask looking as terrifying as ever…and Adam suddenly realized that the tables may have just turned for the better for him and Samus…

…if he could trust Cipher, though…

 **CHAPTER VIII: WHO IS CIPHER, REALLY?**

'Aran…I asked you a question…why do you not answer me?' Cipher's voice instantly turned wary. Deciding to reveal himself to the one person he might be able to trust onboard this vessel besides Samus herself, Adam said; 'I don't answer because I'm not Samus.'

Nearly falling backwards into the force field (which would've cut the conversation short really quick), Cipher gasped and hissed in a stage whisper; 'Adam Malkovich, you little swine! Where in hell's name is Samus?'

Shushing Cipher and waving him down, Adam hurriedly and quietly explained everything to Cipher. When he was finished, Cipher's response was in a thoughtful tone of voice; 'So, Aran managed to find the Chozo Assembler, did she? Clever girl.'

'I didn't tell you about that yet, Cipher…' said Adam suspiciously. Deciding it was time for Cipher to spill the beans, Adam confronted him. 'Tell me,' he said, pointing a finger at Cipher. 'How much more do you know about what's going on here than you let on?'

Chuckling to himself, Cipher waved a hand airily. 'To answer your question, Adam, I need to tell you a little story.' Slumping against the wall of his cell, Cipher raised his hands to something under his hair, which Adam quickly realized was the straps holding his mask on. Letting his mask fall to the floor, Cipher stared at Adam, and Adam let out a yelp and fell backwards, landing not an inch from the humming force field. The face that lay behind the mask was scarred beyond belief; barely human, muscle pulled taut and severely wrinkled, blackened flesh stretched over what remained of Cipher's face. Near the left part of his mouth, Adam could see the flesh had withered away so much that a small part of Cipher's actual jawbone was visible. Much to his shock, the two shining yellow eyes beneath the mask weren't part of the mask, but his actual eyes, looking like headlights of a vehicle on a foggy night.

Turning to look into thin air, Cipher spoke in an almost emotional voice:

' _Many years ago, I had a mother and a father who loved me dearly. My father was in the Federation, and my mother was a biological scientist. Their jobs kept them at arm's length from each other always…and eventually, their relationship grew so strained, with both of them becoming more obsessed with their work, that they eventually divorced. My mother took me away from my father when I was very young, and I barely remember anything of him…all's I recall is him being on the other side of a glass window, banging on it, begging my mother not to take me from him…_

 _Cut to four years later, my father dies under mysterious circumstances. The Federation wouldn't tell us how he'd died, only that he HAD died and that I was to be forcibly enlisted, as it was his final wish._

 _At age 13, I was drafted into the Federation, undergoing all of the necessary trials and tribulations to become a soldier. I was top of my class in everything, and I was a light-year ahead of all of my peers._

 _Eventually, I graduated from the Academy a full-fledged soldier. I'd spend the next 16 years working my way up the chain of command at an unheard-of pace, eventually becoming a Vice Admiral of the Federation._

 _All this time, I was competing for the coveted title of Admiral with another bright pupil of the Academy who'd graduated the same time as I, and was climbing the ladder as fast as I. His name…was Alexander Kend._ (at this, Adam gasped, but Cipher took no notice)

 _Kend was just a young Lieutenant at the time (the youngest Lieutenant ever to serve), and I was Vice Admiral, so I was pretty sure that I would become Admiral long before he ever could. But, after what seemed like forever stuck in the same positions, we were finally given a joint mission; to travel to the planet of Frigia and collect some sensitive and crucial data from a crumbling Chozo ruin on the frigid planet. We managed to collect the data…but we became stranded when part of a large tower of the Chozo ruin fell on our ship and crushed it into pieces, along with any crew members aboard at the time._

 _It was left to me, Kend, and eight others to survive to bring the data to the Federation._

 _Seventeen days we were stranded there, initially making trips to the wreckage of our ship to bring back what undamaged food we could…but eventually, that ran out, and we had to hunt the wildlife…history decorated Kend for being the one to do everything, from keeping us warm to hunting wildlife for us to try to open our frostbitten mouths to eat, to try to swallow in our parched, dry throats…_

 _History is wrong._

 ** _I, not Kend, was the one to do it all._** _I hunted the wildlife, I scavenged the shipwreck for rations, I managed to make a fire to keep us all warm…these were all things I did, but when the Federation finally came to rescue us, Kend piped up first and took the credit for all of it!_

 _I tried to tell everyone that I was the one who was responsible for everyone's survival, but because Kend was more liked and respected among the higher-ups, they promoted him to Admiral and gave him the Federal Five-Star._

 _In my rage, and my anger, I made an attempt on Kend's life, which caused be to be both dishonorably discharged from the Federation, but also branded a wanted criminal (as I managed to escape police custody). Ever since, I took on the moniker of Cipher, and made my living as a font of information for the galaxy's bounty hunters and others, with a spy network in every major faction around.'_

When Cipher finished his story, letting out a huge sigh and slumping completely to the floor, head inclined downwards in repressed anger, Adam couldn't speak for a few minutes, as he was too stunned at what Cipher's true role in this all was.

Finally finding his voice, Adam asked; 'So why were you so willing to help Samus, knowing you'd get yourself wrapped up in all of this again? You knew she was wanted by the Federation, yet you still offered to help her…'

Turning to face Adam, a look of grim determination now visible on his badly scarred face (which Cipher hadn't yet mentioned how it got that way), Cipher replied with; 'I knew Samus would fight the Federation, and I saw this as my chance to get close to Kend again, and try one last time to end his life…even if it costs me my own in the end, I will go on to the afterlife knowing Kend is dead too.'

It was at this point that Adam found himself wondering about how Samus was faring, and if she'd indeed make it to the holding cells…with the password to unlock the cells, no less…but for all Adam was wondering, the only thing he and Cipher could do was sit and wait…for freedom…or death.

 **CHAPTER IX: SAMUS' DOUBLE ACT**

When Samus materialized, she had materialized into a sort of storage room aboard the _Hyperion_. A fine inch of dust covered everything, and much of what was in the room looked like it had been for quite some time.

Knowing that her Suit made a lot of noise when it walked, Samus deduced that she'd have to be extra-careful, as she was not about to leave the Suit here and go exploring in her Zero Suit in case someone happened to look in here.

As with most doors in the galaxy apparently, Samus had to open the door at the far end of the storage room with a blast from her arm cannon. Doing so brought to mind that she still had no idea what the strange data chip inserted into her old Suit did. Cipher had only whispered 'Alimbic' into her ear before she'd left Turachian, which referred to a forgotten race that used to live at the edge of the galaxy, and whom Samus had had a run-in with the creature responsible for the annihilation of the Alimbic race: Gorea.

Stepping out into a small access corridor, Samus began trying to walk as quietly as she could…that is, until she thought to do a scan of her new Suit, and realized her Suit came equipped with something called 'Muffle Covers' for her feet. Pressing a button on her left wrist, Samus was surprised to see the bottoms of her Suit's boots turn into a soft, rubbery material that completely muffled Samus' footsteps.

Her new Varia Suit was classy!

Now able to move unhindered, Samus began making her way through the ship, attempting to locate the holding cell that Adam would no doubt be in, disguised as her…

After exploring a few more rooms, Samus entered a large chamber that she recognized as the Sparring Hall, where troopers would come to both practice and settle any potential arguments with shock sticks (double-ended electrified staffs that did little more than zapped whoever got hit with a low-voltage shock).

Taking a couple of steps into the Sparring Hall, Samus turned quickly when she heard the door lock behind her.

Facing ahead again, Samus saw a heavily-armored Federation soldier leap down from the viewing balcony above and land with a tremor that shook the whole room. Samus recognized this soldier as being in a 'Golem' outfit, designed with a lot of inspiration from Samus' own Varia Suit, and almost as dangerous when fought against.

'Hey! How did you escape the holding cells, Samus? I'm reporting you to the Admiral!' boomed the soldier inside the Golem Suit, stomping over to an intercom. However, before he could press the button with the Suit's cannon to speak into it, Samus, seizing her chance, leaped onto the back of the Golem and shattered the Golem's visor, then smashed the officer unconscious in the head with her arm cannon.

'Sorry, but I can't have anyone knowing I'm here.' said Samus, climbing back down to the floor and carefully laying the soldier and his Suit on the floor.

Leaving the Sparring Hall behind, Samus soon (after passing through a couple of hallways more) came to a T-intersection of halls, and on her left was, most graciously, a Map Station where she could download a map of the entire _Hyperion_ to locate the holding cells.

However, upon downloading the map of the ship, a muted alarm started going off in the room. Cursing herself for her naivety, Samus then realized that the Command Bridge could see if someone was downloading map information from the Map Station, and also simultaneously realized that she'd just alerted the entire _Hyperion_ to her presence.

Moving quickly, Samus went to exit the Map Station room, but two Federation soldiers came bursting in, and one of them shouted; 'It's Samus! Alert the Command Bridge!', and the first soldier, before Samus could do anything, slammed his fist on an intercom button near the door, and yelled 'Samus is in the Map Room! Samus is in the-ugh…'

The soldier's words were cut off as Samus, faced with no other choice, had to bash them unconscious with her arm cannon, as she was determined not to kill anyone here.

Just as she'd stepped back into the T-intersection hall, alarms and sirens started sounding throughout the entire ship, and Admiral Kend's voice came onto the loudspeaker, urgently saying 'Samus Aran has broken confinement and is traveling through the _Hyperion_ ; attempt to seize and capture, but if Samus resists, shoot to kill!'

Moaning softly under her breath, Samus said to herself; 'This…isn't going to end well.'

From the holding cells, Adam and Cipher both looked up at the ceiling as the alarms started going off. 'Damn it all, Lady, can't you stay out of trouble when I'm not around holding your hand?' groaned Adam, doing a facepalm with his hand. Peering around to try to make eye contact with Adam, Cipher asked; 'Do you have a plan, Malkovich? I know Aran's Suit is riddled with a bunch of hidden tricks and weaponry, including something I gave her…'

That was when Adam remembered; the data chip!

Scanning Samus' old Suit, Adam began quickly studying the data chip. 'Cipher,' he asked. 'Can this be used as a lockpick for electronic locks?' 'Most certainly; when I came across it, I learned it can do a lot of things that would've been of great benefit to Samus…now, they will be of benefit to you.' explained Cipher.

Nodding, Adam stood up from his sitting position, held out his arm cannon, and activated the data chip. The same beam that arced out from the arm cannon when Samus used it struck the force field covering the door and interrupted it to a degree that it shut itself down.

Inevitably, alarms started sounding in the holding cells. Adam, working quickly, freed Cipher, and the two of them shook hands, and began trying to reunite with Samus.

Now knowing where the holding cells were, Samus was now rushing to try to reach them to try to free Adam, but was being redirected repeatedly by Federation soldiers rushing down hallways towards her, forcing her to duck into another hallway.

Entering a large hallway, Samus was just about to turn down another hallway when she, quite literally, ran into Adam with a loud *crash*.

'What the hell, Lady?' gasped Adam, having almost had an electronic heart attack from slamming into Samus. 'Time for talking's later; escape time is now!' said Samus, not even noticing Cipher, who had replaced his mask before leaving the holding cells. Adam and Cipher looked at each other, shrugged, and quickly followed.

As they followed, Adam said to Samus; 'Do you have any idea where we're going, Lady?'

Panting, Cipher responded for Samus; 'Anywhere, so long as it's off this ship!'

As they ran, Samus gave a thumbs-up to Adam, who suddenly, despite the gravitas of the situation, found himself feeling nostalgic as he remembered Samus' signature thumbs-down she'd give to him on a couple of occasions when he was her Commanding Officer during her service in the Federation.

Meanwhile, on the Command Bridge, Admiral Kend was seething. Not only had Samus been detected in the Map Room, but also, _after_ that detection, there was a breakout in the holding cells. It occurred to Kend suddenly: 'What if Samus had a copilot that beamed onto the ship while everyone had been distracted in capturing her ship?'

Rushing to a nearby console, Kend checked the sensor logs, and sure enough, right as Samus' ship was being tractored into the _Hyperion_ , there had been a transportation from Samus' ship to Storage Room 6-E at the same time.

Turning to a high-ranking officer, Kend snarled; 'Put Docking Bay B on total lockdown…nothing enters or leaves that room!'

'Yes, Sir!' the officer saluted, before rushing off to perform his duties.

As he took his seat in the Captain's chair (which was obviously his to sit in), Kend kept clenching and unclenching his fists in anger.

Samus running rampant through her ship with a possible decoy…and Cipher…

 _Cipher._

Letting out a yell of rage that caused everyone on the Bridge to look at him in alarm, Kend grabbed his head with his hands and bent forward, contemplating the worst possible suffering for Cipher possible, so as to finally get him out of the way like he should've all those years ago.

But then…a brilliantly diabolical plan began to unfold in Kend's mind.

Kill Samus, the decoy, and Cipher…and make it look like an accident.

Smiling wickedly, Kend stood from his chair, blind to all around him, who were still staring, and he swiftly exited the room; it was time to make some preparations…

 **CHAPTER X: ESCAPE FROM THE G.F.S HYPERION**

Samus, Adam, and Cipher were all quickly nearing the docking bay where Samus' ship was held, and they were just about to round the corner leading into the bay when Adam, who was running slightly ahead of Cipher and Samus due to him only being a Suit, quickly stopped, causing both Samus and Cipher to run into him. Waving them down to be quiet, all three of them peeked around the corner.

A small _army_ of Galactic Federation soldiers were patrolling the docking bay, and there was a security-level force field over the main hatch leading out of the docking bay into space…and freedom.

Leaning back and away from the hall leading into the docking bay, Cipher muttered; 'Damn it all to Hell…of course Kend would amass this many soldiers to stop us…'

Turning to Cipher, Samus noticed him properly for the first time. 'Oh, hello Cipher,' she said, feigning a kind, sweet air. 'I didn't see you there; how are you doing?' Scoffing and rapping Samus' helmet with his knuckles, Cipher looked at Samus and said; 'Now's not the time for jokes, Aran. If we are caught, considering we're now fugitives yet again onboard a Federation ship, it'd be worse than simple jail time.'

No sooner had Cipher spoken than a patrol of four soldiers came around the corner behind them. Adam saw them first, and quickly (and instinctively) fired a laser blast from his arm cannon that dropped the first soldier. Samus glared at Adam in pure rage; her self-appointed mission was to try to avoid killing any more soldiers. Cipher noticed one of the soldiers about to run for the emergency switch, and quickly drawing what looked like a small knife from within his robes, Cipher hurled it at that soldier, and the knife buried itself in the soldier's helmet…he dropped without a word.

The third and fourth soldiers raised their plasma rifles, ready to fire, but before they could even pull the triggers, two more knives of Cipher's found themselves lodged deep in their skulls.

Samus was so overcome with rage and bitterness that she took her arm cannon and went to bash Cipher across the face with it, right in his mask, but Cipher grabbed Samus' arm cannon with just one hand and stopped it with absolutely no effort. 'How could you…they were innocents…just doing their jobs…!' struggled Samus, but it was futile.

For once, Cipher gave her such a look through his mask that Samus felt those glowing yellow eyes pierce right through to her very soul, and for a moment, her breath was taken away. Leaning in to Samus' helmet, Cipher whispered; 'We're criminals in their eyes, Aran…you may be noble enough to try to spare them, but they will have no issue killing you. So stop being such an entitled child and make the shot when it counts.'

Leaving Samus and Adam in stunned silence, Cipher put his hand on Samus' large shoulder pad, and he said; 'I'm leaving it to you, Aran; Nardori VI, then Synvestar. The Chozo technology that you need to face the Federation on even terms is in Chozo ruins on both of those planets…I will provide a distraction for you.'

As Cipher turned to walk into the docking bay, Samus said; 'Wait, Cipher…please wait a moment.'

Cipher stopped and turned to Samus without responding.

Taking a deep breath, Samus said; 'I apologize for not wanting to kill, but that's just how I am, Cipher. If I know the person is innocent, I can't make the shot. I just can't…'

Letting out a small 'hmph', Cipher drew a very long, sleek blade from his robes (a longsword of old) and said; 'Then what sort of bounty hunter are you, Samus Aran? Bounty hunters take the bounty; they care not whether the person is innocent or guilty.'

Facing the docking bay, Cipher took a deep breath. 'Perhaps this was my destiny; to live for centuries, then to face my fall at the hands of the man who ruined me…'

Just as Adam gasped and said 'Centuries?!', Cipher went into an attack stance and charged into the docking bay, yelling ' _Rex enim et patria!_ '

Adam and Samus watched for a moment in shock and awe as Cipher moved, faster than any human could move normally, cleaving soldier after soldier apart at the hips, but after that moment, Adam recovered and said; 'Come on, Lady. We have a ship to get into.'

Nodding, Samus and Adam began running as fast as their Suits allowed across the docking bay (as Samus ran, she saw, way at the far end of the docking bay near where Cipher was fighting, a pair of double-doors open and Admiral Kend walking into the bay with a phalanx of guards behind him). Urging herself to go faster, she saw Adam reach the ship, press a button on the wrist of his Suit, and the top hatch of the ship opened. Raising his arm cannon aloft, Adam covered for Samus while she practically leaped upward in a diving motion through the top hatch.

A moment later, Adam followed, sealing the hatch above him.

As Samus began to boot up the ship, pressing buttons to ready it for takeoff, she found herself getting emotional at Cipher's sudden sacrifice to save both herself and Adam. However, she couldn't pause to grieve in any way, as she knew she'd be grieving from the afterlife if her and Adam didn't get out of here soon.

As the ship began to lift off, Samus heard a *smack* from behind her. Turning quickly, she saw that Adam had done a facepalm onto the visor of his Suit. 'What's wrong, Adam?' asked Samus. Looking to Samus, Adam said in a moaning voice; 'We forgot to disable the force field protecting the docking bay door…'

Just as Samus was in the process of imitating Adam's facepalm, she saw, far ahead of her, two interesting things. One, Admiral Kend seemed to be shouting in fury, pointing rapidly at Samus' ship to his guards, who seemed puzzled, as they knew the doors were sealed…but second, was Cipher, who had killed nearly two dozen guards on his own.

Suddenly, Cipher, risking leaving himself open to laser blasts, turned and held out his hand. In his hand was a remote button. The button was aimed not at Samus' ship, but the doors. Pressing the button, Samus saw her ship register that the security shield around the doors had dropped, and the doors were opening.

With nothing to keep the oxygen in the docking bay, air began escaping rapidly from the docking bay, causing everyone alive in the bay to scramble to grab something to hold onto. All of the bodies of slain soldiers began flying backwards, past Samus' ship, and out into the blackness of space. One body slammed into Samus' ship's front window, and Samus awkwardly pressed a button on her dashboard labeled 'Windshield Wiper'. Doing so caused two windshield wipers to sweep to the left over her ship's window, pushing the body off and out into space with the rest of them.

As Samus pressed the button again to turn the wipers off, she saw Cipher lose his footing and begin to fly towards the ship.

However, Cipher managed to barely grab onto Samus' ship; hanging off the back, one of his legs dangerously close to the engines, Samus opened the top hatch of her ship (which automatically vented all of the oxygen in the cockpit), and Adam reached through the hatch and offered his hand to Cipher.

'Take it, Cipher! Take my hand!' yelled Adam.

Cipher desperately tried to reach out to Adam's hand, but nearly slipped. Reaching so far out that he risked his own self being blown away to the stars, Adam reached further, and when Cipher reached forward this time, he was able to latch onto Adam's hand with his own. Adam, using the strength of his Suit, managed to pull Cipher down and into the hatch as Samus then quickly flew the ship out of the docking bay and out into space…

It was over. They were free from the _Hyperion_ , and Samus and Adam had managed to save Cipher's life.

Now, with Nardori VI set as the destination, Samus pressed a couple of buttons, and her ship automatically set a course for the planet. This finally gave her a chance to talk to Cipher with Adam without being chased for a bit…


End file.
